A spokesman for the Society of Jesus explains what’s happening at the Jesuit General Congregation in Rome.

BY The Editors

January 13-19, 2008 Issue |
Posted 1/8/08 at 2:01 PM

Jesuit spokesman Father Jose Maria de Vera will be fielding
lots of questions this month at the Society of Jesus’ most important gathering
for 25 years.

As well as electing a new general superior to succeed Father
Peter-Hans Kolvenbach (brief, page 2), the 225 delegates are likely to decide
on changes in governance and mission of the society. Some hope the meeting,
called a general congregation, will also tackle the problem of Jesuits who in
recent years have tended to dissent from Church teaching.

St. Ignatius, our founder, had two reasons for having it:
Firstly, to choose a new superior general. That is very important for the
society because the Society of Jesus is, without doubt, a kind of monarchy, and
the superior general has a very important role to play.

The second reason is that when the Society of Jesus, the
Church or the world is facing difficulties — such as globalization or ecology —
all these matters are beyond the scope of one particular province or nation to
solve.

So for that reason, when there are serious matters, the
superior general is supposed to convoke a general congregation.

How long will this
congregation last?

Normally, general congregations don’t tend to be too long. I
don’t know how long this one will be. I’m speculating, but I would be surprised
if this year it will go beyond the beginning of March. But some congregations,
for a particular reason, go on longer than that.

What goes into the
planning of such a conference?

There has been a commission preparing for the general
congregation, but its role is only to suggest because, in the end, it is the
general congregation that decides [what is discussed].

The commission proposed 11 topics for discussion, but the
first part of the congregation — lasting about two weeks — will be mainly
preparing for the election of the general. Once the election is over, there
will be discussion of other matters — the 11 topics that have been suggested.

These topics are of a general nature. One concerns the
mission of the society. We know what the mission of the society is of course,
but it should be adapted to the circumstances we have now in 2008.

For instance, Father Pedro Arrupe [superior general
1965-1983] made changes. Refugees were an emerging problem, and they discussed
whether that should be a proper concern of the society.

A second topic concerns the identity of Jesuits, another is
on governance and then another topic is obedience, including obedience to the
pope.

As you know, all religious make three vows: poverty,
chastity and obedience. We add one vow of obedience to the pope — a special vow
that St. Ignatius especially wanted.

In the 21st century, obedience is not easy, generally
speaking.

In our constitutions of the past, the pope gave us a mission
to fight atheism, for instance. Now, our mission is directed at China, Africa
or intellectual life. When the pope gives us a particular mission, we have to
accept it without question. The pope is the supreme authority.

Openly dissenting
Jesuits have been a problem in recent years. Do you therefore foresee a
tightening of this fourth vow?

Some Jesuits interpret this obedience to the pope only as
mission. However, there is another interpretation that is wider than that. Our
obedience means that we have a special relationship with the pope, which is of
love, service and faithfulness.

It’s not limited to saying: “Okay, we’ll do that, and that’s
it.” No, Ignatius thought and felt very strongly that obedience is not only
intellectual, but there must be a real affection for the pope. He uses the
Latin phrase sentire cum ecclesia (think with the mind of the Church).

But the relationship between the society and the pope has
not always been easy, historically.

From the beginning, St. Ignatius wanted a religious
congregation that was apostolic in nature, but a later pope preferred a kind of
monkish, contemplative society, to pray together and recite the breviary. … Then, in 1773, the Society of Jesus was
suppressed. It was mandated by the pope who was under the influence, the
pressure, of the kings of France and Spain, the masons and enemies of the
society.

Apparently he didn’t want to do it but he did, and so until
1814 the Society of Jesus did not exist canonically. So the relationship
between the pope and the Jesuits has gone through difficulties.

But hasn’t the situation of the 18th and 19th centuries
been reversed in a way? Instead of being so pro-Church and pro-pope, there is
this dissent among some Jesuits, which is the opposite of what they used to be.
Will that be a major point of discussion?

It will be discussed, but when the present superior general,
Father Kolvenbach, was asked how the relations were between the Vatican and the
Society of Jesus, with his good sense of humor he replied: “Well, they are
normal — as they should be!”

Because it’s well known that even in the time of the
previous general, Padre Arrupe, there were difficulties between the Vatican and
the Curia of the Society of Jesus. Arrupe was a prophet. He was a person with a
great vision for the future, perhaps ahead of many others in the Church, and
that caused some misunderstanding.

Obviously, Father Arrupe did not always understand what the
pope meant. As we say today, perhaps he was not very fluent in “Vaticanese,” in
interpreting the language of the Vatican. He spoke several languages but
perhaps he was too intuitive. So there were difficulties and that’s not a
secret.

The Pope [John Paul II] took some exceptional measures. When
Padre Arrupe was sick, the normal procedure of the society would have been to
call a general congregation to elect a successor. But the Pope did not allow
that to happen, and chose a cardinal whose mission was to prepare a quiet
general congregation, without some of the problems like liberation theology,
which at that time was fervent in the society. But these problems are behind us
now. The present relationship is very, very good indeed.

That being so, do you
think Pope Benedict might enter into some of the discussions? Will he be
invited to take part in any way?

No, I don’t think so, because they [popes] have a great
trust — always have had — in the society. Father Kolvenbach has the respect and
confidence of all the people in the Vatican. They know he is honest, very
faithful and close to them, so there’s no reason why the Pope now feels he has
to intervene.

The general congregation has been invited by the Pope for a
meeting on Feb. 21. Perhaps he will have something to say, but as Father
Kolvenbach has said, we have received these warnings of the Pope with humility
and gratitude, because he’s our superior.

If he finds something faulty in the society, we are ready to
receive it in humility and reflect on it. But that would be in a public speech
without any further implications.

But do you think Pope
Benedict might bring up this point in a very distinctive fashion, perhaps
single out this problem when he meets the general congregation?

The Pope addressed the society in April of last year. We
were all in Rome and went to the basilica because we were celebrating 500 years
since the death of St. Ignatius. And he made a very good speech. We thought it
would be a formal speech saying congratulations. But no, he pointed out some of
the things he would like the society to do, and one concerned the intellectual
life.

“Do not abandon the intellectual life,” he said. The Pope
also wanted us to be aware of the difficulties between faith and reason, and
these also would be taken seriously.

Of the 262 proposals
on future concerns that have been tabled for discussion, many are on justice
and ecology. But shouldn’t evangelization be more of a priority?

Certainly, some people [Jesuit priests and provincial
superiors of the society] are concerned about social issues, and whether we are
truly involved in these justice and peace issues. But without provincial
superiors, all these things will remain merely at the level of conversation.

The superiors are the ones who are really committed to carry
it out. On the other hand, many of the superiors are aware of, and are really
committed to, social problems, to refugees and things like that. For those
Jesuits involved in the social field, sometimes they feel it’s not enough, that
the society should do more. And this is the occasion to make that known.

In view of vocations
to the society coming from the developing world, is it likely the next leader
of the Jesuits will come from there?

I’m regularly asked: “Are you ready to elect a superior
general from Africa or India?” And I say, “Why not?”

What are the personal
qualities you’re looking for in a leader?

St. Ignatius has a description for what the superior general
of the society should be like. It’s a description that nobody can fulfill.

He said if a general superior lacks in any virtue — he
should, for example, be understanding, he should be austere — but if he lacks
these, he should not lack in goodness and love of the society.

This year is a kind of novelty. Each province has been asked
to make a profile of the ideal superior general. Of course, everyone starts
from Ignatius, but there are some things that are important today that Ignatius
could not foresee. For instance, some people presenting a profile of the new
general say he should have multicultural experience and not be a mono-cultural
person.

And holiness and
intellect are also vital?

Yes, of course they are basic things a superior general has
to have. Ignatius starts by saying that he should be a man of profound prayer
life — that should be his first duty, to listen to the Spirit and then, of
course, to be understanding, to be close to the people, and so forth.